Petit Picasso Art Camp

Published: August 24, 2012

On August 3rd, El Quito School put on an extravagant art show in their cafeteria—one that was filled with wonderful artwork created by the school’s very own (undiscovered!) artists. The artwork on display was made in Stephanie Nguyen’s week-long summer art camp, where aptly-titled “Petit Picassos” learned how to paint, draw, and bring their imaginations to life. Stephanie, a talented and valued member of the El Quito preschool staff, believes that all children have creativity within them. The notion for the camp thus planted its seed in Stephanie’s mind during the school year and blossomed into a beautiful, ambitious project that proved wildly successful. Due in large part to the influence and inspiration of the man the camp was named after, Stephanie made sure that her young artists realized that “art” is anything they create.

El Quito School put on an extravagant art show in their cafeteria

Artist Pablo Picasso is quoted as having once said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” This quote resounded in Stephanie, who used Picasso as an example of evolving creativity and imagination throughout a person’s lifetime. During a lesson she gave her students on the artist, she explained that his style continuously changed throughout his life—creating artwork well into his 90s. As an example, she showed them a painting Picasso had created when he was fifteen years old, which was depicted as very life-like and realistic. In sharp contrast, Stephanie showed the camp a painting the artist had created when he was fifty-seven-years-old. The latter painting was extremely abstract and looked, ironically, as though a small child had created it. She said, “I explained to the students that there is no right or wrong way to paint anything, and the way you see things when you’re a child will be completely different as you grow up…but that the important thing is to keep creating.” In essence, the importance of the art camp was to teach students about the power of perception, the power of the imagination, and—most importantly—the power of creation as an outlet for creativity.

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” — Picasso

The camp taught students how to envision and create the world as they see it. Stephanie quoted Picasso once more when she said that “Everything you can imagine is real.” To her, the word “can” implies a great deal. Stephanie believes “It gives you the power to go further and beyond what is safe. If you can think it, you can find a way to flourish it. And “flourish” the camp did. In fact, the camp was so successful that the students’ artwork is now hanging on display at the Saratoga City Library, where it will remain until September 30th. Please stop by to visit the fabulous art created by Stephanie’s Petit Picassos, and, maybe, read a book or two!